Improvement in shingles for roofs and walls of buildings



T. N. 'HlCKCOX.

Improvement in Shingles for Buildings and Walls of B dings.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS N. HIGKOOX, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN SHINGLES FOR ROOFS AND WALLS 0F BUILDINGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 126,547, dated May 7, 1872; antedated April 26, 1872.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS N. HICKCOX, of the city of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Shingle for the Roofs and Walls of Buildings; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification.

This invention consists in the combination, with a shingle made of straw-paper or binders board, of a metal spring, attached for the purpose of giving it, in its normal condition, a slightly-arched form, whereby, when in place, its overlapping ends are prevented from turning up, and are kept down snug upon the shingle or shingles underneath it.

Figure l in the drawing is a face view of one of my shingles. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the shingle without the spring. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of the shingle with the spring. Fig. 4 is a back View corresponding with Fig. 3.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

To manufacture these shingles straw-board, binders board, or other suitable paper-board, is first cut into pieces of the required size and shape to form shingles. When the shingles are thus prepared, springsas shown in Figs. 3 and 4, consisting of a piece of steel-plate or other spring-steel, of a length somewhat less than the length of the shingle, and of, say, from half an inch to one inch wideare riveted or otherwise attached to and along the middle of the back of the board, after Which they may be covered with oil-paint, applied in one or more coats, either by a brush or by dipping the pieces into it, in such manner as to completely cover the surfaces and edges and ren der them perfectly water-proof; and before the last coat is dry they may be sprinkled with sand on the surface and edges which are to be exposed. The paint used may have for its basis white-lead, which may be tinted by the addition of umber or other suitable mineral coloring matter. Before painting it will be well to saturate the boards with linseed-oil or other paintoil by boiling them therein or by soaking them therein while the oil is in a heated state and afterward allowing the oil to dry.

The shingles thus made may be applied to buildings, and fastened by nails in the same way as ordinary shingles or slates. Such shingles, made with springs'a, applied to give them an arched form before they are put in place, their lower or outer and overlapping edges will hug so snugly and closely to the shingle or shingles underneath as to make a Very tight lap.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent as a new article. of manufacture, is-

The metal spring a in combination with a shingle of paper-board, substantially as and for the purpose herein specified.

THOMAS N. HIOKGOX.

Witnesses:

FRED. HAYNES,

R. E. RABEAU, SAMUEL FRosT, RICH. 0. REYNOLDS. 

